I’ve taken a keen interest in this, as I’ve been running all the Preview Builds on my laptop. It’s an aging Dell with its original battery, so as you can probably guess, it isn’t at its peak. On the bright side, the new battery management features have helped me optimize my usage just that little bit better, giving me more control over where I work.

To access Battery Saver settings press Windows + I, and head to System. You’ll spot Battery Saver in the left-hand column. From here you can toggle the Battery Saver settings, including the automatic saver threshold, and which applications can continue receiving updates.

You do have to turn Battery Saver mode on to reap the benefits: it isn’t an automatic feature.

Microsoft acknowledges Cortana will use more battery power. It literally states it in the Cortana settings, but without any specifics, or even averages of what this means for your battery life, which is slightly infuriating to those dependant on remaining mobile.

If you do have any doubts about the “Hey Cortana” effect on your battery, simply switch it off. Type Cortana into the search bar and press Enter. Switch Let Cortana respond to Hey Cortana to Off, and you’re good to go.

Windows Update

Windows 10 now silently updates in the backgroundPros & Cons of Forced Updates in Windows 10Pros & Cons of Forced Updates in Windows 10Updates will change in Windows 10. Right now you can pick and choose. Windows 10, however, will force updates onto you. It has advantages, like improved security, but it can also go wrong. What's more...Read More, you might find your battery suddenly dropping off if you’re connected to any un-metered network as updates download. If a large update rolls in, It can make for some unexpected drops in power, so it can be worth checking for updates at the start or end of your day, when you’re close to a dedicated power supply.

What’s worse, Windows can share updates you’ve downloaded with other computers in your local network or on the Internet, causing a serious drain on your battery, as well as affecting your Internet bandwidth. To off the Windows Update Deliver Optimization, head to Settings (Windows + I) > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options > Choose how updates are delivered, and either switch to PCs on my local network or turn the feature off entirely.

PowerCfg

PowerCfg is a hidden command tool15 CMD Commands Every Windows User Should Know15 CMD Commands Every Windows User Should KnowThe command prompt is an antiquated, but powerful Windows tool. We'll show you the most useful commands every Windows user needs to know.Read More you use to tweak power settings on your portable device. Most usefully, you can generate a list of devices with permission to wake your computer. Some programs can set “wake timers,” allowing your system to perform activities on its own timetable. Sometimes this is useful, such as Windows Update getting on with its processes when you’re sleeping. But if you’re not connected to a power-source, it can drain your battery unexpectedly, leaving you powerless for your morning commute.

You can also use powercfg /a to see the various sleep states your system can use. Those devices using Windows 8, 8.1, or 10, and with specific hardware designs can make use of the Standby (Connected) tool, but it isn’t available on every device. This tool enables your sleeping system to still notify you if a Skype call comes through, or if you receive a priority email, but amazingly uses no-more battery than regular sleep.

Perhaps most useful of all is the powercfg /energy command. This command tracks your system usage for 60 seconds and generates a power report illustrating your system energy efficiency, like so:

As you can see, my aging Dell is running into a few issues as time ticks on, but nothing too horrendous. Still life in the old boy! If you see serious errors, check them out in the extended html report. Some can be erroneous: my processor was hitting 75% utilisation during the test, enough for a serious tag, but it really isn’t a problem.

Finally, use powercfg /batteryreport to generate a up-to-date analysis of your battery, including charge ratings, number of cycles, and a recent history of battery use/charge periods. Even a cursory glance at this can help you spot battery issues; my maximum charge capacity has dropped by almost half in seven years.

You can still access Power Plans through the Control Panel, as reported previously. In Windows 10, you can also manage them inside the Settings app. Press Windows + I, head to System > Power & sleep for quickly adapting the most basic setting. Click Additional power settings to head into the Control Panel.

Note: it isn’t possible to restrict app downloads to specific operating systems, yet, so this can be used with Windows 8, but will only show battery care tips.

Windows 10 Battery Roundup

Here goes: Battery Saver is another useful addition to the Windows ecosystem, but I still trust the Power Saver Power Plan to save me in extreme power difficulties. If you don’t fancy the trek through the Settings app, you can take a shortcut to find all your familiar, tweakable settings in the Control Panel: hit the Windows button on your keyboard, type power plan, and select the first result, which is edit power plan.

Overall, Windows 10 does appear to be better for portables, a big plus for a company pushing for one billion devices sooner rather than later.

Have you noticed any significant changes in your battery life since installing Windows 10? Let us know what you think below!

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January 19, 2016 at 7:42 pm

How do you charge the battery? Is it automatic when the battery is low? Before the January 2016 update (Patch Tuesday), my battery was charging automatically when plugged into the wall power supply. Now what do we do?

Gavin is the Technology Explained Editor, as well as a Security and Windows regular. He has a Contemporary Writing degree pillaged from the hills of South Devon, but now resides in the deepest depths of Cornwall, calling Penzance his home. In a 10-year writing career he has covered real estate,…